Dana White on Eddie Alvarez: At this point, 'he should fight for' Bellator

LAS VEGAS – UFC President Dana White believes, after months of the fighter’s legal jousting with his current home, Eddie Alvarez‘s best course of action may be fighting again for Bellator MMA.

Alvarez, Bellator’s former lightweight champion and a recent prized free agent, received a UFC offer in late 2012. The lucrative deal included a $250,000 signing bonus, likely six-figure fight purses and potentially a piece of pay-per-view revenue.

But after Bellator made what it deemed a matching offer, the two sides filed dueling lawsuits. Now, barring a settlement, they won’t be required to see each other in court until after Sept. 15, 2014.

White knows that means 29-year-old Alvarez (24-3), who hasn’t fought since an October knockout of Patricky “Pitbull” Freire at Bellator 76, could be on the sidelines for two years during the peak of his career.

“He should fight for [Bellator],” White said Monday. “First of all, they have every right – he signed a contract, and they have every right to him. But at least pay the kid the money. (That’s) the reason that you get that clause in your contract where you get out find out what you’re worth. You get to get out there and shop around and see what Eddie Alvarez is worth. Well, Eddie Alvarez found out what he’s worth, and they’ve refused to pay him that. It’s bulls—.”

White is referring to the potential PPV revenue the fighter could earn with the UFC, which he and Alvarez contend would be impossible for Bellator to truly match. While once the organization’s biggest and most marketable star, Alvarez and Bellator’s relationship has soured throughout the legal fight, due largely to the matching rights. In May, following a flurry of Alvarez’s media appearances, Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney admonished Alvarez for “saying things that aren’t true and aren’t accurate” about the negotiations.

“So now this kid’s life and his career have been in limbo here while they’re in this battle,” White said. “That’s dirty boxing s—. That’s what boxing does. Boxing tries to tie you up and make so you can’t make any money and all this s—. We’ve never done that to anybody, ever.”

But what about claims that White is partially at fault for trying to sign a top Bellator fighter? Is Bellator now forced to take a stand so it’s not seen as a feeder league for its rival?

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